“Come on in, Nick,” Phil’s voice echoed into the outer office.
Janine stepped aside and waited for Nick to go on in. When he did, she closed the door between them.
“Nick…” Phil stood and moved around the desk, extending his hand out. “How’s the restaurant? How’s Ginny?”
Nick sucked in a breath of courage as they shook hands. It’s not that he was nervous about his chances, he just didn’t know where to begin. And truth be told, it was a little ego-bruising to admit to anyone what Ginny had done to him. Nevertheless, Walter’s foundation was his only hope. “Well…” Nick said as Phil went back to his chair behind his desk. “The restaurant is fine.” Nick took one of the two chairs in front of the desk. “Ginny…? Well, that’s what I came to talk to you about.”
“Oh?” Phil gave him a concerned look. Nick hoped it was genuine, rather than practiced. “So the rumors are true then?”
“Depends on what you’re hearing,” Nick said.
“I’m hearing the wedding didn’t happen.”
“That’s true.”
“Perhaps you’ll reschedule in the future?”
Nick almost laughed. “That’s not likely.” It took him a few seconds, but finally he managed to say, “To be quite honest, Phil, Ginny took me to the cleaners.”
Phil listened intently, while Nick detailed the particulars of every bad deed Ginny had perpetrated during her process of not only wiping Nick out financially, but also leaving him in deep debt. When Nick was done, he shrugged, sighed, then went silent.
It took Phil a second or two before he asked behind a friendly smile, “How can we help?”
Nick felt the burden practically lifting off his shoulders. He hadn’t realized just how anxious he’d been, until now. “I need a loan, Phil.” Nick waited, feeling confident that Phil would say, how much do you need?
But instead of asking how much, Phil said, “That’s quite a debt you’ve incurred, Nick.”
“Yes.” Nick nodded, feeling his confidence getting ready to make a run for it. “But the restaurant is strong and solid. I could pay it back, I’m sure.” He handed Phil the portfolio of Hang Ten’s financial reports.
“What about the banks?” Phil left Hang Ten’s file on the desk, making no move to open it. “What do they say?”
“Nothing positive.” Nick shook his head. Truth was, he owed too much money, and none of the banks were willing to help Nick Matthews put himself deeper in debt.
The silence lingered between them for what seemed like forever. All the while, Nick’s confidence was taking a hard hit.
Finally, Phil said, “Tell you what I’m gonna do.” He nodded and gave Nick a half-hearted smile. “Since Mr. Moreland was so fond of you, I’m going to take this to the board.” He picked up Hang Ten’s financial folder and tapped it on the desk a couple of time. “We’re going to find a way to help you.”
Moments later, Nick left Phil’s office and by the time he was out of the building he’d managed to regain a large chunk of his confidence.
Everything was going to work out. The foundation would step in and help him, where no one else would. Because of Walter, they wouldn’t turn him down, would they?
Nick cast that nasty thought out of his head. Walter’s foundation was going to help. They had to. If they didn’t, Nick was sunk.
Lecie couldn’t believe she’d agreed that she, Deidra, Camille and Tasha should go for lunch at the Hang Ten. And if that wasn’t enough, they’d insisted on going in the limo Camille and Tasha had hired for the duration of their visit. Velma and the kids would stay behind at the house. Gerard had ordered pizza for their lunch, and that had made the kids happy.
“Guys…” Lecie said in a hushed voice when they were no more than two blocks from the restaurant. “Do you think it’s prudent to roll up in front of Hang Ten in a limo?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” Camille laughed.
“I’m trying to keep a low profile,” Lecie said.
“Not anymore,” Tasha said. “You’re after a husband now.”
“I don’t get it.” Lecie shook her head. “I can’t get used to the idea that Julian and Andre are okay with me marrying someone just so Papa can’t have me deported.”
“Your brothers are certain you’ll do something…shocking when Maurice pushes you into a corner.” Of course, Camille probably meant stupid rather than shocking. “They’d much rather you do it on their terms.”
“Yeah, I know.” Lecie almost laughed. “They want to make sure I don’t lose my inheritance.” Her gaze drifted to the window as the limo rolled up in front of Hang Ten. She wondered if Nick and Ginny had returned from their honeymoon. The thought left her feeling nauseated and a bit sullen.
Tasha elbowed Lecie’s side. “They have good food here, or what?”
“That’s not all they have.” Deidra chuckled.
“Do tell…?” Tasha got serious.
The driver, whose name Lecie hadn’t caught, opened the door and Camille climbed out first, followed by Tasha, then Deidra, and finally Lecie.
When Keri, the hostess, saw Lecie and Deidra she smiled. “Ladies, looks like you brought us some friends today.”
“Indeed we did,” Deidra said.
Keri grabbed four menus and said, “I’ve got your favorite table ready for you.”
They followed her to the booth back in the corner near Nick’s office, Lecie’s favorite place to sit because she could always catch glimpses of Nick as he was coming and going about the restaurant’s business.
As the party slid into the booth, Lecie and Deidra on one side and Camille and Tasha on the other, Keri said, “Are we having lemon-drop martinis today?”
Lecie was about to object, thinking it might not make the best impression on her sisters-in-law, when Camille said, “Ooh, that sounds delicious.” She nodded, looking at the others at the table. “Am I right?”
“We’ll have four,” Lecie said.
“I’ll get those started for you,” Keri said. “Diane will be your server today. She’ll bring your drinks right over.”
Lecie watched the hostess walk away and did a quick scan of the restaurant. She didn’t see Nick, or Ginny for that matter, anywhere. She never saw much of Ginny this early in the day, but Nick was usually always here. Maybe they were still on their honeymoon.